16% of Guernsey deaths still down to tobacco

Monday 03 June 2019

The population of smokers in Guernsey are becoming a smaller and smaller minority, with only 13% of adults partaking in the habit, but according to the Director of Public Health, tobacco is still a very real problem.

It is the cause of 16% of all deaths in the island - making it still one of largest killers, only behind things like circulatory system disease, which is linked to 31% of deaths.

"The Public Health view is simple – the answer is yes because tobacco still kills." - Dr Nicola Brink, Director of Public Health. 

And, with last Friday having been World No Tobacco Day, Dr Nicola Brink had an important message: it is never too late to stop.

And 16% of deaths in Guernsey and Alderney are tobacco-related. It's never too late to quit and our Quitline services are free. Please contact us for help to quit ! https://t.co/WgmpXRW8P6

— Nicola Brink (@DrNicolaBrink) 31 May 2019

In a statement to Express, she applauded the success of the Tobacco Control Strategy for Guernsey and Alderney 2016 - 2020, as having succeeded, alongside previous strategies, at ensuring tobacco smoking became a minority activity. She said the island had a lower adult smoking rate than Jersey or England, which had 16% and 15.8%. 

"This success has resulted from the concerted efforts of the current and previous Tobacco Control Strategies, alongside increasing public awareness of the harms associated with tobacco use. Recent successes include the expansion of smoke-free sites in States of Guernsey properties. A voluntary ban on smoking in children’s playgrounds has been met with high social acquiescence and campaigns are delivered to raise awareness of the effects of second-hand smoke through participation in “No Smoking Day” and “Stoptober”. In addition, HSC funds the Children’s and Young People’s Healthy Lifestyle worker who teaches tobacco education lessons to all children from Year 6 to Year 11," she said.

"Taking into account these successes, the natural question is smoking still a problem for us? The Public Health view is simple – the answer is yes because tobacco still kills."

The States recently banned smoking on all of the government-owned and -ran sites. 

The life expectancy rate in the Bailiwick has increased in recent years. But, as 13% of people still smoke, tobacco smoking, Dr Brink said, will continue to be an important cause of premature death and ill health for the population. She expected that to be the case for decades to come.

She continued: "It is never too late to quit. Just because you have smoked for 30, 40 or even 50 years it doesn’t mean that smoking has to be a lifelong habit. You may think that because you’ve smoked for so long there’s no point stopping now. But this is not so – there are immediate health benefits as soon as you stub out that last cigarette, even if you already have health problems.

"Our Quitline Services are free and I would encourage all Islanders who smoke to contact them for help in stopping smoking. Quitline can be contacted on 233170.”